Material working apparatus



June 15, 1943.

C. SHANNON MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1940 V/lvW/zw' lC.$HA ON A TTORNEY Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT DFFKIEMATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Carlisle Shannon, East Orange, N. J.,assignor to Western ElectricCompany, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application May 28, 1940, Serial No. 337,618

s claims.

This invention relates tomaterial working apparatus, and moreparticularly to apparatus for cutting and heading wire or likematerials.

' Certain material working machines of the type used in forming heads onlengths of wire are known commercially as headers. In such'ma chines thewire is usually fed intermittently from a supply through a cut-off dieand between a air of heading dies to a stop, the distance of the stopfrom the cut-off die determining the length of the Wire cut from thesupply. During the feeding ofthe wire the heading dies are spaced forthe free movement of the wire therebetween but when this hasbeenaccomplishe-d the heading dies are'closed to grip the wire and arethen moved. relative to the cut-off die cooperating therewith to cut thelength of wire fromthe stock and locate the exposed end of the wire, tobe headed, in alignment'with a headinglpunch. The

heading dies, therefore, serve important functions and must beaccurately finished. Commercially known headin dies are square incrosssection and are grooved and finished accurately on the four sidesfor wires of different gages, or of the same gage; but of identicallengths. heading dies, and the other tools necessary in mounting thedies in the machine, ate found satisfactory if the demand forpartsmadethereby warrant the cost thereof. However, in the first instance, ifthere were a demand for only one of the four gages and.- the demand forthat one' were low, the expense of such heading dies would not bejustified. Furthermore, in the second instance, if the demand for theone gage were low, the expense of a pair of heading dieswith 'four setsof grooves, three of which may never be used,

With thisand other objects in view; the invention comprises a materialworking apparatus for receiving a universal tool including adesirednumber of die holders and filler blocks of selected lengthsvariable depending upon the length of heading dies selected, and acut-01f die and die holder with packing plates of desired thicknessdepending upon the length of the heading dies. Other objects andadvantages will be apparent from the following detailed description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying. drawing, wherein Such Fig. 1is a fragmentary horizontal sectional .view of a material workingapparatus illustrating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View, shown partially in' section, of a selectedgroup of tools forming a part of the apparatus to condition theapparatus to form one type of article; a i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a pair of heading dies and dieholders, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are front elevational views of other sizes of heading dieswhich may be used with selected die holders.

Referring now to the drawing, attention is first directed to Fig. 1,which illustrates a portion of the apparatus illustrating the invention.The form of apparatus selected is an open die header having a housing 8*in which a tubular guide 9 is disposed for guiding material I0 such aswire to the working parts of the apparatus, where: definitepredetermined lengths will be cut therefrom and heads of desired shapesformed on the exposed lower ends'of the lengths.

The housing 8 has a tool receiving cavity or recess ll of asuitabledepth and extending be tween parallel surfaces I2 and i3 to receive adesired assembly of tools selected from groups of various sizes tocondition the apparatus to form articles of any desired type. Positionedin the cavity II adjacent the surface l3 are packing plates l4 and i5of'ditferent sizes selected from a group (not shown) of packing platesvarying in size in order to position a holder l6 of a cut-' on die I! adesired distance from the surface I3. Each'packing plate has apassageway l8 therein for the passage of the wire I0 therethrough to thecut-off die 11. The cut-off die I! isformed'of' suitable hard .metal orother material of suitable hardness, having a central passageway for thewire and embedded in its holder [5 so that the lower surface of'the dieand the holder lie in the same plane. The packing plates Hi and I5 as,well as the die holder l6 are rigidly yet removably mounted in therecess H by any suitable means (not shown). 1

Heading dies l9 selected from a-group some of which are illustrated inFigs. 1', 2, 4 and 5, areprovided in pairs with matched longitudinalgrooves ZOfor the different gages of wire to be used in forming thedesired articles and also of the'various lengths desired. These dies arein expensive tomanufacture, in that only one sur-' face 'need befinished and grooved for the desired gage of wire and may thus; be madesmaller, requiring a smaller amount of the hard metal necessary for theheading dies themselves than would be necessary if they were providedwith four sides finished and grooved for different gages of wire. Thesedies are made in pairs with the cross-sectional contour illustrated inFig. 3 including the finished engaging surfaces grooved for the desiredgage of wire, two other surfaces being disposed at right angles withrespect to each other while the remaining surface of each die is taperedfor locking engagement in the die holders 2| by the aid of set screws22. The die holders 2| shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are equal in alldimensions except length and the provision of pairs of the die holdersin various lengths enables an operator to select a pair of heading diesl9 of any desired length and provide a pair of or a plurality of pairsof die holders the combined lengths of which equal the length of theheading dies, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Each die holder isprovided with two set screws 22 as shown in Fig. 2, which extend throughthreaded apertures opening into a groove 23 of a contour to receive anyof the heading dies (Fig. 3).

In a similar manner filler blocks 24 and 25 may be selected from groupsincluding filler blocks of various lengths to build up combinationsidentical in length to the groups of die holders selected for theparticular heading dies as illustrated in Fig. 2. In the presentinstance the filler blocks 25 are notched at their lower left handcorners as indicated at 26, so that they may be mounted in the recess H.In order to quickly and accurately assemble the sets of filler blocksand condition them as a solid filler block of the selected length, thefiller blocks are proportion conditioned to be disposed between adjacentfiller blocks and space them definite and like distances apart whilereduced pin-like portions project axially in opposite directions fromthe central portion into the apertures 28 of their respective fillerblocks. The filler blocks are, therefore, made in lengths similar to thelengths of the die holders 2i, certain of the blocks, however, beingshorter in length to compensate for the thickness of the centralportions of the spacers 30.

Each set of die holders 2| with their respective heading dies l9 andfiller blocks 24 are mounted in the recess H in engagement with thesurface l2 as illustrated in Fig. l, and extend to the die holder I6 andcut-off die l'l. These separate units, namely the separate heading diesand their respective die holders and filler blocks, are mounted formovement relative to each other, in opening and closing the headingdies, and for movement with each other, in cooperation with the cut-offdie I! to cut lengths from the wire. For example, the right handassembly may be mounted for lateral movement in a definite path andnormally urged to the left by spring means (not shown) a definitedistance limited by a stop (not shown). The left hand portion of thisassembly is removably secured to a member supported by reciprocablerods'36 which are slidably disposed in bearing portions 3!v of thehousing 8 and operativelyconnected to suitable means (not shown) toimpart lateral movement at predetermined intervals to the portion of theassembly associated therewith.

A stop member 40 mounted on the shaft 4| is operatively connected tosuitable means (not shown) to move the stop into alignment with the wireduring the feeding of the Wire and Wh le the ,f vided withlongitudinally extending apertures 28 to receive spacers 3|]. Thespacers 30 as illustrated in Fig. 2, each consist of a central annularheading dies l9 are in general alignment with the passageway l8 and thecut-off die IT. The stop 40 determines the length of wire to be severedfrom the supply and may be moved out of position after the length ofwire has been severed, to allow for the movement of a heading punch 43into its forming position. The heading punch may be any desiredstructure to form a head of any desired contour of the exposed lower endof the length of wire shown in Fig. 1.

.A reciprocable support 44 is provided for the punch 43, the formerbeing slidably mounted in guideways 45 and operatively connected tosuitable means to move the punch into forming position when the lengthof wire has been severed from the supply and moved into alignmenttherewith.

In conditioning the apparatus for operation, a pair of heading dies isselected for the gage of wire to be employed in forming the desiredarticle. The length of the selected heading dies is determined by thelength of the article desired to be produced. Therefore, when the properheading dies have been selected the operator may select from the pairsof die holders any desired groups whose combined lengths will equal thatof the heading dies. When this has been accomplished the heading diesmay be mounted in the selected groups of die holders. When the dieholders have been selected it is simple to select the proper fillerblocks 24 and 25 to be associated therewith. The lengths of the headingdies determine the distance from the severing or cut-off ends of thesedies to the surface l3 when mounted with their die holders and fillerblocks in the recess H with their other or forming ends adjacent thesurface I2. Therefore, regardless of the length of the die assemblies,determined by the selected length of the heading dies, the forming endsare always disposed adjacent the surface l2 and variations in thelengths of the heading die assemblies will thus vary the distance fromthese assemblies to the surface l3. This variation, therefore, may betaken care of to po- I sition the cut-off die I! adjacent the severingend of the heading die assemblies by selecting packing plates from agroup including packing plates I4 and I5 of desired thicknesses to equalthe distance between the die holder 16 and the surface l3. When thesevarious parts are posisuitable means (not shown) through the guide 9,the apertures H3 in the packing plates, through the cut-off die I1 andbetweenthe grooves 20 in the heading dies l9, at which time the groovesof the heading dies will be positioned in general alignment with theaforementioned passageways to allow the wire to be advanced to the stop40 which will be in position to perform its function in limiting thelength of wire being fed, the stop having been adjusted to allow aportion of desired length of wire to extend beyond the lower ends of theheading dies. The'stop remains in this position until the reciprocablerods 36 are moved to the right, first closing the heading dies l9, tofirmly grip the portion of the wire positioned therebetween, and thencooperate with the cut-off die H to cut the gripped portion of the wirefrom the supply and finally position this portion, While still firmlyheld by the heading dies, in alignment with the heading punch 43. Whilein this position the'headin punch is moved to perform its operation informing the exposed portion of the wire into a head of a desiredcontour, after which the punch is retracted and the reciprocable rods 36moved to the left. The movement of the reciprocable rods 36 to the leftwill move the heading die associated therewith to a receiving positionin general alignment with the wire and allow the other heading die tofollow through the force of its urging means until it is stopped shortof engagement with its associated heading die, allowing ejection of theformed article therefrom and free movement of the wire therebetween. Itwill, therefore, be observed that the provision of die holders andfiller blocks of various lengths, die assemblies for heading dies ofvarious lengths may be formed and further by the aid of packing plates,selected from the group including packing plates l4 and H), a toolassembly may be formed for a multiplicity of articles requiringmaterials of various sizes and various lengths.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is illustrative onlyand may be modified and departed from in various ways without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as pointed out in and limitedsolely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a material working apparatus having a locating surface and anabutting surface, a pair of material working dies selected from aplurality of pairs of dies varying in length disposed adjacent thelocating surface and spaced from the abutting surface a distancevariable dependent upon the length of the selected dies, a cut-olf diedisposed adjacent the material working dies, and packing membersselected from a plurality of packing members varying in size disposedbetween the cut-01f die and the abutting surface.

2. In a material working apparatus having a locating surface and anabutting surface, a pair of material working dies selected from aplurality of pairs of dies varying in length disposed adjacent thelocating surface and spaced from the abutting surface a distancevariable dependent upon the length of the selected dies, a cut-off diedisposed adjacent the material working dies, and packing members,selected from a plurality of packing members varying in size, positionedto fill a space between the cutoff die and the abutting surface.

3. In a material working apparatus, a pair of heading dies selected froma plurality of pairs of heading dies varying in length, die holders ofcombined lengths equalling the length of each of the selected dies,supporting means, and filler blocks of combined lengths equalling thelength of each selected die disposed between their respective dieholders and supporting means.

4. In a material working apparatus, a pair of heading dies selected froma plurality of pairs of heading dies varying in length, die holders ofcombined lengths equalling the length of each of the selected dies,supporting means, and filler blocks of combined lengths equalling thelength of each selected die and selected from a group of filler blocksvarying in lengths disposed between their respective die holders andsupporting means.

5. In a material working apparatus, a material working die selected froma plurality of dies varying in length, die holders of combined lengthsequalling the length of the selected die, a supporting means, fillerblocks having aligned apertures therein disposed between the die holdersand supporting means, and connecting members disposed between the fillerblocks and having projections receivable in the said apertures to holdthe filler blocks in assembly.

6. In a material working apparatus, a material working die selected froma plurality of dies varying in length, die holders of combined lengthsequalling the length of the selected die, actuating means, filler blocksof combined lengths equalling the length of the selected die disposedbetween the die holders and the actuating means, and means tointerconnect the filler blocks.

7. In a material working apparatus, a pair of cooperating heading diesselected from a plurality of heading dies varying in length, a pluralityof grooved die holders, for each die, of varying lengths combined toequal the length of their respective die, and means for each die holderto secure their respective die in the groove thereof.

8. In a material Working apparatus, a pair of cooperating heading diesselected from a plurality of heading dies varying in length and havingcompanion longitudinal work receiving groove in adjacent faces thereof,a plurality of grooved die holders, for each die, of varying lengthscombined to equal the length of their respective die, and means for eachdie holder to secure their respective die in the groove thereof.

CARLISLE SHANNON.

